Before The Nightmare
by Candyseo-La-Canderson
Summary: This all happens when Sally is first created and how she first met Jack Skellington, the rest will follow if you have seen this movie.


_**AUTHER NOTES: **__Hey everyone it's Candiso, I decided to do The Nightmare Before Christmas story for those who are a huge fan of the movie (I know I am). After watching the movie I thought I'll write when Sally was first created and when she first saw Jack and all that. Reason one I thought of doing this is for we don't really know much about that and when she truly fell in love with our skeleton friend Jack. So I hope that you enjoy this story as much as I did writing it._

_**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OF THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!**_

_Please R&R._

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It was a cold December night, and Doctor Finklestein was busy in his lab with Igor finishing a creation that he was working on for months during the time not taken up by the preparations for Halloween. Now that the Mayor didn't need his brains for the technological portion of Halloween, he could finish this project.

"Igor flip the switch," Doctor demanded.

Igor did as he was told, and flipped the switch to activate the process of giving life to the new creation by electricity (much like Frankenstein's monster). The lightning surged through the body making it twitch around madly. It was a good thing that the body was strapped in or the Doctor would have had a mess to clean up. This only lasted for ten minutes when Igor finally flipped the switch. The body lay limp and lifeless and the Doctor was beginning to lose hope when its eyes opened and peered down at Doctor Finklestein and Igor who were both awestruck by the success of their creation.

"Where am I?" Its voice sounded feminine.

"You are in my lab where I created you Sally," Doctor Finklestein answered.

"Sally?" she asked.

"Yes that is your name, my dear, and this is your new home," he explained. "Igor unbind her," Doctor Finklestein added.

Once Sally was free from the straps, Doctor Finklestein guided her to her room because it was late, and he promised that he would explain everything to her then. Her room was large with a large window that faced a dark, gloomy house. There was a sturdy bed with a quilt with a few moth holes here and there and a sewing machine and table on one wall of her room, along with a metal chair that seemed sturdy enough. The Doctor left as soon as she was sound in her new surroundings.

Sally walked around her room for awhile before sitting on her bed staring down at her hands, lost in her own thoughts. When it was getting late she curled in a ball under her quilt and fell into a dreamless sleep. When she woke up it was light; she felt as if she had only slept a few minutes. Sally rolled out of bed and looked out of her window to see the orange sun rising behind the house. It was almost like it was a castle in those fairytales that mothers would tell their daughters before they went to bed.

"Sally come down here so we could finish our discussion from last night." Doctor Finklestein's voice echoed through the house.

Sally did as she was told and gracefully, yet awkwardly, went down the winding stairs where the Doctor waited for her in his lab, cleaning up the things lying around the floor while Igor swept the dust. At first they didn't spot her standing in the doorway gazing at them as they worked. Sally continued watching them for a few more moments before Doctor Finklestein spotted her gawking at them cleaning the lab.

"Sally aren't you down ye—Oh there you are, come here my dear," Doctor Finklestein started, as he saw Sally standing at the doorway.

Sally waltzed over to the Doctor without hesitation and stood two feet away from him waiting for him to speak or do something. The Doctor ordered Igor to finish the cleaning then asked Sally to follow him to the kitchen area for some breakfast. Little did she know that she would be preparing it for him. As the entered the kitchen, Sally was put to work making a snake and spider stew for the Doctor. The only problem was that she had no idea how to make it. So Doctor Finklestein had to give her the recipe before she got started on the stew. It was simple enough; she had no idea that it could be this easy to make.

As she prepared the food, the Doctor explained everything about Sally and why he created her in the first place. Sally listen intently as she chopped the snake into bit sized pieces as Doctor Finklestein babbled on. So far nothing impressed Sally about her creation, it was just that the Doctor wanted to test if he could create a female and not only just males like Igor. Soon Sally became bored with all of this scientific gibberish and completely drowned the Doctor out of her mind as she stirred the stew. When the stew was ready she ladled the stew into a bowl with a chip on the rim and served it to the Doctor as he went on about Sally and what not. It didn't take long for Doctor Finklestein to wolf down the stew and continue with his explanation. Once he was done Sally was ordered to go out to the town market to get some more Worms Wart and eyeballs.

Sally walked along the streets of Halloween Town trying to find the market, but she soon forgot about her errand when she saw him—Jack Skellington. Jack was a skeleton, of course, with a white skull and long, thin arms and legs. He moved elegantly and spider-like as he walked the streets. He wore a black and white pinstripe tux, and his bowtie resembled a bat with its wings matching the tux's design. He was walking along with a short fellow with a cone shaped head and a tall thin top hat. Sally froze where she was standing, staring at this skeleton man, thinking he was quite handsome. Of course to regular people, Jack would be terrifying, but to the gals in Halloween Town he was the most handsome man around.

"How about this Mayor,

Boys and girls of every age

Wouldn't you like to see something strange?

Come with us and you will see

This, our town of Halloween," Jack began to sing.

"I think that it's wonderful Jack. I knew that you would think of a brilliant song for next year's Halloween," the Mayor praised.

"Thank you, Mayor. I'm sure that I will finish the song by—Oh hello." Jack saw Sally standing there.

"Oh, um, hello. That was a wonderful song you were singing," Sally stuttered.

"Why thank you, and who might you be?" Jack felt embarrassed.

"I'm Sally one, of Doctor Finklestein's creations," Sally introduced herself.

"Hello, Sally. I'm Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King here in Halloween Town." Jack bowed.

"Jack we better finish our discussion about next Halloween." The Mayor barged into their lovely introductions.

"Quit right Mayor. It was a pleaser meeting you, Sally, and I hope to see you soon." Jack walked off with the Mayor.

Sally continued her search for the market, and it wasn't long until she was out of town and stumbled upon the market that was crowded with monsters, demons, witches, and what ever may be lurking in the night. Sally walked through the crowded stalls where everyone was trying to get a good price off of goods and trades. It felt like millennia before Sally found what she came for. Once she paid for her goods, she maneuvered her way through the people with ease this time round, (she now knew how to move through the crowds).

Sally made it back to Doctor Finklestein's just before dark. She found Doctor Finklestein his is lab going through experiments. She didn't want to disturb him, so she went on to the kitchen to put away the Worms Wart and left the jar of eyeballs with Igor, who would deliver them to the Doctor. Well, since she was in the kitchen she figured she better cook dinner for the Doctor before it got too late. While cooking she could hear the wheelchair coming down from the lab as she chopped up snake pieces for a snake and spider stew again.

"Sally why didn't you tell me you were home?" Doctor Finklestein asked.

"I didn't want to interrupt you as you worked," Sally replied.

"Well how was it out in the town? Did you meet the Mayor?" the Doctor asked, as Sally stirred the brew.

"Yes, I did, and someone else." Sally blushed at the thought of the skeleton.

"Really, who?" he asked like a parent interested over their child's love of someone at school.

"His name is Jack Skellington," Sally sighed.

"Ah, so you met Halloween Town's Pumpkin King, I see," Doctor Finklestein replied thoughtfully.

Sally just nodded. She felt embarrassed for some reason, talking about this topic, but why? She shouldn't feel embarrassed to talk about Jack. Why would she? It wasn't like she liked the guy at all. She just shook her head before sampling the stew to make sure that it was all right to eat. She didn't want to poison the poor Doctor. A few more spices before serving it to Doctor Finklestein, who was already sitting at the table, and it was ready. Sally got herself a bowl of the stew as well, and they ate in silence. They were finished with their stew at the same time, and the Doctor handed his bowl to Sally so she could wash up the dishes before heading back to his lab again. Sally washed the dishes and wiped the table before heading up to her room.

She sat at the sewing machine thinking what she could do with it. What could she make with it? Then she remembered that there was a bag full of extra fabrics downstairs in the living room that Igor forgot to throw away. Sally slipped down the stairs, careful not to disrupt the Doctor from his experiments. Sally found the bag and journeyed back up the stairs to her room, where she could be alone.

She dumped the fabric on the floor to collaborate what she could do with the it. Sadly, they were all just scrapes, but what could she do with that? That's when it hit her: she could make a quilt or a quilt dress in that matter. She was getting tired of wearing the hospital gown the Doctor made her when she was created. Sally chose her fabrics vigilantly before sewing them into a dress. Sally finished within two or more hours with her new dress. She tried it on to see how it looked. It was like a rag doll dress with patches of fabric that even Cinderella would be proud of to wear.

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The next day Sally prepared breakfast using the Worms Wart that she bought yesterday. It didn't take long for the Doctor to get downstairs, called by the smell of Worms Wart soup. Sally served him a big bowl, while she just had the small bowl that was hiding in the back of the cabinets. While they ate, Doctor Finklestein never commented on Sally's new dress or the soup she made. All he ever did was eat in silence. When he was done, he set out to the lab to finish his experiments.

Sally sat there for a few moments before looking out the window, watching the skeleton birds soar in the orange sky. She saw the little ones playing in the streets with their parents supervising from a distance. She could see the witches flying around, and the vampires hiding from the sun with their parasols. It seemed like a perfect morning to be out and take a stroll around town. Sally was sure that the Doctor wouldn't mind if she was out for a while so she could get used to her legs. She snaked through the living room, making sure that Igor wasn't there before closing the door silently, and then she was gone.

Sally walked through the streets until she stumbled upon an old witch sitting on a porch. The old witch looked up at Sally, then smiled so that she revealed that she was missing four or so teeth in her grin. Oddly enough Sally wasn't afraid of her at all. In fact she felt calm and wanted to know this witch.

"Hello," Sally waved.

"Hello, deary," the witch replied with a crackly voice.

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" Sally asked, sitting next to the witch.

"Just enjoying the scenery," she replied, looking out at the sky. "I don't believe that I've seen you in town before. What is your name?"

"I'm new. I'm Sally, Doctor Finklestein's creation," Sally introduced herself.

"I see that old Doctor Finklestein is still up creating new ones," The witch laughed. "Well, it figures. He always wanted a girl."

"Really, I didn't know that," Sally gasped.

"Yes, well, he does keep to himself when he wants to do a creation," The witch replied. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you my name. I'm Hazel." Hazel changed the subject.

Sally learned many things while talking to Hazel. She learned that every Halloween night the whole town would celebrate, with Jack Skellington, their man of honor, as the last surprise every time. She learned about potions and about different herbs. Hazel was kind enough to give Sally samples of some that she carried around with her after she collected them in her knapsack. Sally never knew anything about herbs or potions until she talked to Hazel. Hazel was very wise and nice to Sally, unlike Doctor Finklestein who was cruel. Oh how she wished that Hazel was her creator and not Doctor Finklestein. Of course, how could a witch create a rag doll without a lab?

"Oh no, I have to go now!" Sally sprang to her feet as soon as she saw the sun going down.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Sally. I hope to see you soon." Hazel waved as Sally ran for home, hoping that Doctor Finklestein hadn't noticed that she was gone.

Sally ran down the streets avoiding, some of the residents that come out at night, but she didn't quite see a certain skeleton in time before running right into him and knocking him over with her on top of him. When she realized who it was, she sprang to her feet, feeling her face going hot. Sally didn't know what to do or what to say. Her mind had gone blank as soon as she saw Jack get up and brush himself off. Just when he was going to say something Sally bolted the heck out of there, leaving Jack standing with his eyes, well eye sockets, still on her as she went inside of Doctor Finklestein's house.

"Sally, where have you been?" Doctor Finklestein asked, as he waited for Sally in the living room.

"I've been out." Sally looked down at the floor.

"You aren't ready to be out on your own, Sally," Doctor Finklestein explained.

"But I was out yesterday getting groceries," Sally argued.

"Ha, don't be naïve. I sent Igor to look after you so you wouldn't get lost." The Doctor laughed.

"What?" Sally couldn't believe it; Igor had been watching her the whole time.

"You foolish girl, thinking that I could trust you on your own yet. You barely started to live in this world." Doctor Finklestein wheeled up the stairs, ushering Sally to her room and locking the door. He left her weeping on her bed, not able to be trusted by the Doctor to go out into the town and see Jack Skellington again, but she doubted he wanted to see her again after she completely ran him over and ran off without saying sorry or anything. Oh if only she were still out and never came home. But she had to, where else could she go? It wasn't like there was a hotel or someplace for her to stay for the night, or for her entire life away from Doctor Finklestein, was there?

Sally was sent to her room just like that for the night. As she sat on her bed thinking of how to trick Doctor Finklestein to let her out on her own, she looked over the herbs that Hazel had given her as they talked. Luckily, Hazel had another knapsack so Sally could carry all of the jars Hazel had with the samples of the herbs and what not. The labels were, Deadly Night Shade, Wriggle Worms, Bark of the Brain Tree, and Witches Herb. Maybe she could use the Deadly Night Shade to poison the Doctor so that she could sneak out for a few hours, but she didn't want to use it so soon. She planned on saving that plan for later. Then she thought of using the Wriggle Worms to confuse the Doctor to let her go out. All these possibilities, but always one conclusion: Doctor Finklestein will eventually break free from the effects of the herbs and punish Sally for her tricks.

So what if I get in trouble? At least then I could go out and have fun, Sally thought to herself, as she hid the jars under a loose floorboard in her room that she discovered when Doctor Finklestein introduced her to her lovely room.

Weeks passed, and Doctor Finklestein was beginning to ease up on Sally, and gradually beginning to let her out more, but keeping her in when something was going on in town. Rehearsals for Halloween, town meetings, you name it, she's was not going out. Doctor Finklestein thought that she was too "fragile" to be out when these events happened. Sally thought that she was ready to be out and about town and participate when they did rehearsals for Halloween. She didn't know what the big deal was because it wasn't like she was going to explode with excitement.

Today though, Sally was in luck. Doctor Finklestein was going to be out of town for a week to go visit an old companion he knew to help him out with his experiments, which meant that Sally could go out into town when something was going on. Well, now that Doctor Finklestein was away Sally decided to go out and see Hazel to learn more about potion making and more about herbs and where to find them. Sally walked down the streets watching out for Jack, afraid that he'd hate her after what she did weeks ago. When she saw Hazel at her usually spot, Sally rushed over to her, eager to see her friend. But she wasn't there. Where could see be? She looked around the town but no sign of Hazel.

Where could Hazel be? Sally asked herself, as she rested near the fountain.

"Sally I've been looking everywhere for you these past few weeks," a voice called from behind Sally. When Sally turned her head to see who it was, she froze with terror. It was Jack Skellington.

When Sally was about to run, Jack grabbed her by the wrists preventing her from running off.

"Wait Sally."

Sally stopped and looked at Jack, waiting for him to say more.

"Sally I didn't get a chance to talk to you before you ran off when we ran into each other," Jack began. "I was going to complement on the dress that you have on, but before I could say a word, you ran off."

Sally could feel her face growing hot with embarrassment. Did he really like her dress that she only made out of scrapes of fabric? "Thank you Jack; I made this dress myself," Sally mumbled.

"You made that dress? Sally I had no idea that you were so talented. I've got it, why don't you help me with my Pumpkin King costume for Halloween?" Jack asked.

"Sure, I would love to help you, Jack," Sally said eagerly.

"Perfect, I'll give you a description on how it should be tomorrow then." Jack shook her hand. "Meet me here tomorrow and we'll get planning."

Sally waved good-bye to Jack, then continued her search for her friend Hazel. Sally then moved her search to the graveyard, thinking that she'd find Deadly Night Shade to pick. When Sally passed the Deadly Night Shade head stone, she stopped with horror in her face. The head stone next to the Deadly Night Shade was Witch Hazel. Sally couldn't believe that Hazel was dead.

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_There you guys have it; I think I might to a second chapter to this story if you all want it. Hope you all enjoy it. Please R&R._


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